December 14: Pop Goes The Century

On this day in 2003 the first planned phase of Disney's Pop Century Resort at Walt Disney World opened. A "value resort" themed around different decades of American pop culture, it features 10 motel-style buildings.

This first phase, known as the Classic Years, represents the 1950s through the 1990s with huge over-sized icons such as 45 rpm records, a peace symbol, 8-track tape staircases, Mr. Potato Head, and a giant laptop. Located at 1050 Century Drive, Pop Century is adjacent to the Wide World of Sports Complex and near Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Phase Two: the Legendary Years (representing 1900-1940) was to be built across the lake from the Classic Years - with a bridge connecting the two. The addition was never built, although some of the buildings were constructed. In May 2010, Disney announced that the area zoned for the Legendary Years would instead be used for a new resort called Disney's Art of Animation Resort (scheduled to open in 2012).

Click HERE for more December 14 Disney history.